Does Fenbendazole For Humans Cancer Work?

An anthelmintic used to treat parasites in animals, fenbendazole (methyl N-(6-phenylsulfanyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl) carbamate) has recently become known as an effective cancer treatment after a US man named Joe Tippens claimed that it and other supplements cured his lung cancer. The claim spread widely on social media, including Twitter and Facebook. Health Feedback has investigated the evidence and found it to be unsound.

In laboratory tests, fenbendazole appears to kill cancer cells by partially altering the microtubules that form the cell’s skeleton and blocking a vital cellular process called mitosis. It also has a number of other effects on cells, which may contribute to its antitumor activity.

A clinical trial is underway to test whether fenbendazole can help cancer patients, but it’s not available yet. Researchers are using a combination of chemotherapy and fenbendazole in the hope that it will improve outcomes for some patients.

We surveyed cancer patients to see how they heard about fenbendazole and whether it was useful or not. About two-thirds of respondents said they first learned about the drug from TV or YouTube, and many more got the information through acquaintances or family members.

The claims about fenbendazole for humans cancer are based on the experience of one man who says that it and other supplements cured his cancer, but the claims don’t stack up to scientific scrutiny. There’s no evidence that fenbendazole or other deworming medications can cure cancer in people, and even if they were, there are already established treatments for most types of cancer.